Improved easy-chair



UNITED STATES JOHN H. DEVEREUX, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF H. B. GOODYEAR, ANI) H. M. BEARUE.

IMPRO-VED EA'SYrCHAIR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,753, dated May 17, 1864.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that 1, JOHN H. DEvnREUx, of Alexandria, in the county of Alexandria and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Easy-Chairs; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

No chair, however luxuriously fitted up and shaped with a view of promoting comfort, affords that wholesome repose of body which is productive at once of an equable circulation of blood and reacts on the mind so as to prevade the whole being with a feeling of contentment, repose, and comfort, so refreshing to body and mind. Nor is there a chair, however comfortable for a short time, that can be endured for any longer period of time without'a feeling of uneasiness growing upon the occupant. There are, however, positions of the body, which, while they promote a sense of relief fromfatigue, are not calculated to render the occupant heavy and sleepy. Ihe one which is most universally practiced, at least in this county, is that of the sitting posture with the feet elevated so as to preve'nt the blood from settling in the veins of the fatiguedv legs, which engenders weariness and restlessness. The manner in which this posture is generally taken necessitates the intervention of a table' or other piece of furniture upon which the feet are placed. Having ascertained from long experience that this position affords to a person not wishing to lie down or sleep the most complete repose, I endeavored to construct a chair in which this position can be taken at the will of the occupant without the use of another article of furniture, and I have accomplished this object by combining with a chair of otherwise ordinary or suitable construction a support for the leg under such arrangement that it may be removable, adjustable for supporting the arms, and capable of being folded up for transportation, substantially as hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings,represent ing a chair constructed in accordance with my invention, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are side elevations ofthe same, showing it, respectively, in three psitions-viz., open without the legrest, open with the leg-rest, and folded for v transportation. Fig. 4 is a perspective view exhibiting the chair open, partly with and partly without the leg-support.

The chair proper is composed of a frame and a seat and back. The former consists of two front1 and two rear legs, a and b. pivoted or hinged together at d, so that the four legs may be folded together on the pin d as a pivot, as shown in Fig. 3. The rear legs, b, are extended to the front of the seat, and are there united by a cross-bar, e, while the front legs, a, extend backward to the top of the back, and are there united by a cross-bar,f. Un the bars e and f is hung the cushion or carpet c, forming the seat and back. In order to give the cushion or carpet the proper curvature, the spreading of the lers is limited by a cross-piece, g, secured to either front or rear legs.

To the legs a ot' the chair are attached at h, by means of pins, the two leg-supports. These are made in two parts, andj,jointed or hinged together so as to allow of the folding of the support and the raising and lowering of them past the bar e, which projects from both sides of the chair. rlhe supports are arranged on the outer sides of the front legs, which constitute the back of the chair, and are hinged thereto at a point level with or somewhat below the cross-bar e. The length of the supports is to be proportioned to the size of the chair, and is calculated more or less according to the length of the legs of occupants. The width, too, is to be calculated with a view of aifording some lateral motion to the leg while being supported, and is a matter ofjudgment or taste. I prefer to allow the party' to project on the inner side over the part i, so as to lap over the leg a when lct down, and thus maintain the support when folded snugly and compactly in position.

The views exhibited in the drawings explain the operation sufficiently to require further explanation. It may be-stated that when the legsnpports are iu position shown in Fig. l, the partj is capable of being swung upon its hinge lr, and it may thus answer the purpose of a support for the arm, a position exceedingly comfortable, particularly it' the occupant have a book or paper to read, allowing of such book or paper being held steadily in position.

Having thus described my invention, I cluim- 1. In combination with :t folding frame and and cushion suspended at the front and back, as described, the swinging leg-rests and pro iecting cross-bars supporting said leg-rests under the arrangement and for the purposes set forth. l

2. Making the leg-rests in two parts jointed or hin ged together as described, so as to allow of the folding of the same, whereby the chair.'

muy be used with or without leg-rests atY pleasure and may be folded in compact form for transportation, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication before two subscribing witnesses.

J. H. DEVEREUX.

Witnesses A. POLLAK, J.. L. CooMBs. 

